Reviews: The Way, Way Back (2013)

Excerpt: It’s kind of like a modern-day Meatballs as written and filmed by recent Academy Award winners, with heart, personal experience, and fleshed-out characters replacing sophomorism. Both the average moviegoer and the art house crowd should see the fun in this summer dramedy.

Excerpt: It has its charms, most notably in Rockwell’s wise-cracking put-on artist, but it never goes for anything really deep as 2009’s similarly themed “Adventureland” did, while taking a few missteps along the way.

Excerpt: “The Way, Way Back” is the sort of movie that probably makes actors feel like they’re doing good work because they get to talk a lot. But the actors are actually the best thing about this movie which is absolutely nothing you haven’t seen before.

Excerpt: One of the more achingly poignant stories of awkward (male) adolescence I’ve seen, and one of the best movies of 2013 (so far). Sam Rockwell steals this movie more than he has ever stolen a movie before.

Excerpt: It may not break an inch of new ground, but it doesn’t have to when the results are so wise, sweet-natured, and timelessly true.

Carson Lund @ Dig Boston

Excerpt: Laced with casual homophobia, sexism, and racism, as well as an apparent fetish for the camel toes of pre-driving-age blondies, The Way, Way Back nonetheless constitutes the contemporary notion of a “feel-good” movie.